The Ice Castle
by contrite shadow
Summary: Sub-text of episodes "The Final Nail", "Setup" and "Countdown".


Author's note: This is an attempt at writing the subtext of episodes _The Final Nail, Setup_ and _Countdown_. So you'll probably need to have seen them for the story to make sense. If you didn't like what I did with _Knockdown_, you can give this one a miss.

* * *

Original characters:

Clair: Castle's ex. First appears in "Castles in the Air"

Sasha: escaped convict. First appears in "In Defense of the Castle"

Abril: Castle's other ex. First appears in "In Defense of the Castle"

* * *

The Ice Castle

After a nightmare week, starting with the phone call from his old friend, Damian Westlake, on Wednesday, Castle is not only spending Valentine's Day alone but is forced to watch Damian be arrested for murder. Knowing what he's been through, Beckett has offered to buy him a drink before her date with Josh. As they head to the car, she says, "You okay?

Though he doesn't really feel it, Castle says, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Beckett nudges him and says, "Liar." As they approach the car, she says, "The Old Haunt?"

"It's Monday, Beckett, we're closed."

She smiles and says, "Exactly. I'm guessing you're not in the mood for a crowd right now."

Castle smiles a little and gets in the car as he says, "Sounds perfect."

Once they're underway, Beckett says, "I'm sorry about your friend, Castle."

Castle shrugs and says, "Not your fault."

"I'm still sorry."

"Thank you." And then Castle sighs and says, "And you were right; I really didn't know him at all."

Beckett shrugs and says, "Well, we don't really know anyone, do we?"

World-weary, Castle leans back against the headrest and says, "I guess not."

Concerned about his subdued manner, Beckett says, "Are Martha and Alexis home tonight?"

Aware why she'd ask such a question, Castle says, "I'll be fine, Beckett, honest. " And then he manages a smile and says, "By tomorrow, I'll be back to torturing you."

Beckett smiles at his words and then says, "We'll only be wrapping up the case and you don't want to be around for that. You can take some time off, if you wish."

Castle is quiet for so long that Beckett is sure he'll refuse, but then he says, "You know, I might take you up on that. Gina has been at me for a while to get serious about promoting the book. She's aiming at a summer release, so time is running out."

Not willing to examine why this news would cause her a twinge of pain, Beckett says, "How long will you be gone?"

Castle smiles a little at the appeal in her voice and says, "Worried that you'll miss me?" However, he doesn't press the matter and says, "Only a week or so. A lot of this stuff is done online nowadays, but I'll have to flit to LA and get my face on TV." When Beckett is quiet for a while, Castle looks at her, to gauge her reaction when he says, "And catch up with Ellie Monroe."

Unable to stop herself, Beckett first looks at him in shock and then says, "You're not serious?"

Pleased with her reaction, Castle says, "Deadly. She didn't win the part of Nikki Heat in the movie, but she managed to get a lesser role and called me recently to thank me." And then he grins and says, "And to invite me to LA."

No longer trusting her voice, Beckett says nothing. Unwilling to say anything to ease her concern, Castle is also quiet and they finish the journey to the tavern in silence. By the time they're inside, Castle has taken pity on her and says, "If you keep frowning like that, you'll end up with permanent furrows in your brow."

Beckett forces her muscles to relax and says, "I'm just worried that she'll hurt you again."

Castle pours himself a large, single malt and fetches a low alcohol beer for Beckett, then says, "It didn't hurt that much, Beckett." And then he grins and says, "Most of the time, it was quite pleasant." When Beckett sits at the bar and makes no reply, Castle sips his drink and then says, "If you ask me not to, I won't see her."

Too careful to fall into that trap, Beckett says, "It's nothing to do with me, Castle."

Disappointed not to draw her in, Castle tries again, saying, "I don't think you get to be jealous, Kate."

A little too adamantly, Beckett says, "I'm not…" After a deep, steadying breath, she says, "That was a little unfair, Castle."

With a small shrug, Castle says, "Perhaps, but I did warn you that I'm playing to win."

With only a nod to show that she's heard him, Beckett puts down the beer and says, "I'd better go."

Everything in him wants to immediately make things right between them, but Castle swallows it all down with a mouthful of scotch and watches her leave. Of course, the sound of the door closing has barely faded before he regrets his actions. After cursing his idiocy for a few seconds, he empties both drinks into the sink and quickly cleans up before leaving. He turns up his collar against the evening chill and heads for home while keeping an eye out for a cab and is surprised to see Beckett's car still where she parked. Peering in the window, he can see that she's inside, with her head resting on the steering wheel.

Startled by the gentle knock on the passenger side window, Beckett looks up. On seeing Castle, she quickly wipes away the few tears, winds down the window a crack and curtly says, "What?"

"I'm sorry." When she says and does nothing, Castle leans down and puts his mouth level with the tiny slit in the window and repeats, "I'm sorry."

Trying not to smile at his ridiculous posture, Beckett says, "I heard you the first time." Already losing her anger, Beckett says, "You were a jerk."

"Yes." When Beckett is again silent, Castle says, "What do you think my chances are of getting a cab tonight?"

Having forgiven him several seconds ago, Beckett nevertheless says, "Better than your chances of getting in this car."

As if he'd expected her reply, Castle nods and says, "Okay. Night, Beckett. And I really am sorry." Even as he turns away, Beckett leans over and opens the door. Surprised, Castle takes a second to recognize it as an invitation, then quickly enters the car and says, "Thank you."

Without a word, Beckett starts the engine and heads for Castle's building. After several seconds of silence, Castle says, "I think that it's easier to contemplate being away from you, if I first make you angry."

Beckett knows that he's done some soul-searching to gain such an insight and decides to go easy on him, so she says, "That, and you've had a crappy month." At his obvious confusion, she says, "You were worried that Sasha was after Clair, Abril was attacked and then left you for another man and today you found out that someone you've admired for years is a murderer."

Surprised, Castle says, "When you put them all in a row like that, it does sound kind of bad." And then he says, "But that doesn't excuse taking it out on you, when you were being so nice to me."

Beckett knows that it's another apology and says, "We're okay, Castle."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Castle says, "Thank you." After a while, he says, "Those tears can't have all been for me?"

"They weren't, but I don't want to talk about it."

Unsurprised, Castle says, "That's fine." And then he says, "I'm not going to sleep with her. She just wants to buy me lunch, as a thankyou and an apology. Actually, she's going out with one of the producers, so there's no chance of us hooking up, even if I wanted to."

A little surprised at the flood of relief she feels, Beckett doesn't trust her voice straight away, but eventually says, "None of my business, Castle."

Castle smiles and says, "Of course it's your business. Even if I weren't trying to bump Josh from his post, you're my best friend. You get to know everything."

Beckett glances at him and then says, "Best friend?"

Surprised at the question, Castle says, "Oh, come on, you must know that. I spend more time with you than even with Alexis."

Beckett shrugs and says, "I guess that I never thought about it like that, but you're right." She thinks about it for a second and then says, "I wonder when that happened?"

"Not sure, but I've known since Halloween. Javi referred to you as my best friend and I realized he was right." And then he smiles and says, "Are you saying that I'm your best friend, too?"

Beckett slowly nods and says, "You must be. I tell you stuff that I wouldn't even share with Lanie."

They've reached Castle's building and Beckett pulls over nearby. Castle says, "Thanks for taking it easy on me, especially as I didn't deserve it." And then he hesitates before saying, "How do best friends say goodbye, when they're not going to see each other for a while?"

Beckett gives it some thought and then says, "I'll see you soon?"

Only a little disappointed with her suggestion, Castle nods and says, "I'll see you soon."

Castle watches her drive away and then heads inside. As expected, the apartment is empty with Martha and Alexis making the most of Valentine's Day. After a long, hot shower, Castle gets into his pajamas and robe before settling in front of his computer. He hasn't even caught up on his emails when his phone rings. After accepting the video call, he can only smile as Clair's face appears on the screen and she says, "Hey, you."

"Hey, yourself." And then Castle grins and says, "I can't talk long, I've got a hot date."

Clair smiles and says, "In your pajamas?"

Unable to stop smiling, Castle says, "Obviously. The hottest dates always are." And then he says, "When did you work out how to make video calls?"

"Today. I had a feeling you might be alone tonight."

"You've been talking to Abril."

Clair shrugs and says, "Maybe." And the she says, "That was sweet; what you did for her."

"I get points for dumping women now?"

"You know what I mean."

"Yes." And then Castle says, "God, it's good to see you. I'm going to hang up and call you right back, ok?"

"You busy?"

"No. It occurs to me that we can spend the evening together like this and I don't want you to pay for it."

The smile on Clair's face is enough reply, but she still says, "Sounds wonderful, Rick."

After hours chatting, during which Alexis comes home in time to say hello to Clair, Castle gets to watch Clair fall asleep and finally hangs up before falling into an easy sleep.

* * *

It's Sunday and Castle has been gone almost a week when Beckett gets his call and can't help smiling as she says, "Hey, Castle. How's LA?"

"Sadly lacking in hot, homicide detectives, but it's okay. How was your week?"

"Quiet. Maybe the killers are waiting for you to get back. Oh, I saw the interview. Thanks for fending off that question about me."

"No problem. They weren't supposed to mention you at all, so they've blown it. I've already told Gina that they're on the blacklist." When Beckett is quiet for a while, Castle says, "Just ask."

Beckett hesitates before she says, "How can you and Gina still work together after everything that's happened between you?"

"Well, she doesn't want to lose her most successful client and I don't want to look for a new publisher. So we make it work. Actually, I'd be lost without her. She's an amazing negotiator."

Beckett smiles and says, "She must be."

Castle laughs and says, "You mean, because she talked me into a second marriage?"

"Exactly." And then Beckett says, "Were you calling for a reason, Castle?"

She can imagine his grin as he says, "Other than to hear your voice?"

"Yes, and behave yourself of I'll hang up."

"Okay, spoilsport. Thought I'd better let you know that I'll be another couple of days."

Before she can work out how she feels about that, Beckett says, "Okay. Thanks for letting me know, Castle."

"Oh, and when you see the pictures of me with Ellie Monroe, you'll notice that I'm not touching her in any of them. We just had lunch, okay?"

Frustrated that he still doesn't get it, Beckett says, "I don't care who you _touch_, Castle. I just don't like her. Women who use sex like that make life so much more difficult for the rest of us."

"Fair enough. I hope you know that I'd never require that of a woman?"

"Yeah, I know." And then Beckett shrugs and says, "And I guess she _must_ be a good actor, because you wouldn't have slept with her if you thought it was a strategy."

"Thanks, Beckett." After a second, Castle says, "Is it okay for best friends to mention that they miss each other?"

"Yeah, it's okay. Other than the obvious jokes about Ryan and Esposito being like an old, married couple, the precinct is pretty boring without you."

After a second, Castle says, "Thanks, for saying that." And then she hears him sigh before he says, "I'd better go. I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah, Castle, see you soon."

* * *

When Castle finally returns home, exhausted, Martha and Alexis have bothered to prepare dinner. Grateful that he doesn't have to do anything, Castle has a lovely evening with his girls. Having already let Beckett and the guys know that he's back on duty in the morning, he gets an early night and passes out almost as soon as his head touches the pillow.

Castle is woken early by his phone and on seeing that it's Beckett, blearily says, "I'm sorry, but you have the wrong number."

Beckett laughs and says, "Up and at 'em, Castle. I told you that the killers were waiting for you to get back."

"Okay. I'm good to go. Am I on the way?"

"Not this time; warehouse on Washington St. I'll send you the details and meet you there, okay?"

"Sure thing. I'll be the tall, good-looking guy holding two coffees."

"And I'll be the armed detective with a short fuse."

Castle smiles at the description and says, "Yes, you will. I'll see you there."

Keen to get back to work, and looking forward to seeing Beckett, Castle gets ready in record time. So that, even buying two coffees on the way, he arrives at the scene just after Beckett. She spots him and waits while he dismisses the cab. As he approaches her, Castle notices everything; from the brown, knee-high boots to the white, turtleneck sweater under the dark, woolen coat and the slight signs of stress on her face. He hands her one of the coffees and says, "Hey, bestie. You look good."

Beckett smiles a little and says, "Thanks, Castle."

Esposito has seen them arrive and approaches to give Beckett the details. With only a nod to Castle in greeting, he gets straight to business. Other than the fact that the victim has been tortured, there's not much to see at the scene, so Beckett and Castle head to the precinct. Once they're alone in the car, Castle says, "You okay?"

With a nervous glance at him, Beckett says, "Yeah, I'm fine."

It's obvious she's lying, so Castle says, "I'm only asking, because you were upset the night before I left and you seem a little…wound this morning."

"I'm fine, Castle. Just drop it, okay?"

"Okay. But, if you change your mind, I'm here."

With obvious relief, Beckett says, "Thanks, Castle."

By the time Beckett and Castle make it to the precinct, Ryan has started a murder board with some background on their victim, Amir Alhabi. It's becoming increasingly evident to Castle that Beckett is not her usual, focused self. Unwilling to risk her ire when things are good between them, he says nothing and silently resolves to take it easy on her for a while.

After they've interviewed Amir Alhabi's family and interrogated Leeman Jones, Castle is concerned enough about Beckett to ask Esposito what's going on, but he either doesn't know or is unwilling to say. So Castle focuses on the case. By end of shift, he and Beckett have also interviewed Kevin McCann and the only thing they know for sure is that this was definitely not an ordinary murder.

Beckett isn't able to give Castle a ride to work the next day, either. When he arrives at the precinct with her coffee, he sees why; she's talking to Josh. He soon realizes that they're arguing, so his suspicions that Josh is the cause of Beckett's disquiet are confirmed. On seeing him, Josh says goodbye, acknowledging Castle on the way out. It's obvious that Beckett is still reluctant to discuss the matter, so Castle lets it alone and they both get to work.

Much to Beckett's chagrin, Fariq Yusef is suspected and then quickly cleared of the murder. When Castle deduces that the numbers recorded by their victim are the address for a storage locker, Beckett's mood significantly improves. As they drive to North Manhattan Storage, Castle says, "Still don't want to talk about it?"

"Nope."

"Okay, just checking." And then Castle says, "Beckett, even I'm running out of creativity on this one. None of this makes any sense."

"I know what you mean." And then Beckett shrugs and says, "Hopefully, there'll be some answers in the storage locker. That was well done, by the way."

"Thanks." And then Castle grins and says, "I thought so, too."

Trying not to smile, Beckett says, "Have I mentioned how unattractive you are when you gloat?"

Still smiling, Castle says, "So you think I'm attractive at other times?"

Losing her battle with the smile, Beckett says, "No comment."

"That means _yes_."

"Or it means that I'm not willing to play your games, Castle."

"That is such a pity, because I know some excellent games; a lot of them for only two players." Beckett refuses to give him any more ammunition by speaking. But Castle can see that his antics are cheering her up, so he says, "Chess, for example, is a perfectly adequate game, but _strip_ chess is even better." Beckett's mouth is pursed in an effort to contain her smile, so Castle says, "See, normally, you're aiming for a quick checkmate. But, when every piece taken means your opponent removes an item of clothing, it's a whole different game. Ideally, what you want is to match them, item for item." With a grin, he says, "Though, whatever happens, there's really no loser…not the way I play it anyway." And then he proceeds with the surprisingly complicated rules of his version of strip chess.

With Castle entertaining her, not even Manhattan traffic can dim Beckett's good mood and they arrive at the storage locker in fine spirits. She even feels well enough to tease him by striking a pose while holding the bolt cutters, much to Castle's surprised delight.

But it all goes horribly wrong when the discreet radiation detector given to every law enforcement officer after 9/11 shrilly announces their doom. At first only curious about the unfamiliar sound, Castle doesn't move right away, despite Beckett's urging. When her frenzied shouts reach a fever pitch, he retreats to a safe distance. Even though he has no idea what's going on, the fact that Beckett appears truly terrified is enough to make his own heart race in sympathetic fear. And, when her frantic phone call reveals the danger, he can only stare at her for several seconds and then he says, "What do we do? Aren't we supposed to get out of our clothes, or something?"

Despite the fact that they may already be dying, Beckett says, "Hardly the time, Castle."

Castle actually blushes and says, "No, not that…" And then he realizes that she's teasing him and says, "Thanks, I needed that. But, seriously, what do we do?"

"The rad detector has GPS and we're safe this far from the locker, so we wait right here for the NEST team."

Castle nods and then says, "You know that's redundant, right? NEST stands for Nuclear Emergency Support Team. You don't need to add _team_."

Beckett smiles and cocks her head to one side as she says, "We've been exposed to a potentially lethal amount of radiation and you're correcting my grammar?"

Castle shrugs and says, "It's never too late for correct grammar." He takes a step towards her and says, "And you're not going to die."

Despite her attempts at humor, there's still a trace of fear in Beckett's eyes when she says, "You can't know that, Castle."

When he steps close enough to put his hands on her forearms and she doesn't resist, he slides his hands up her arms and draws her into an embrace as he says, "Yes, I do. You're not going to die, Kate, because I won't let you."

Her defenses battered by everything that's happened, Beckett hesitates only a moment before returning the gesture and then she says, "I believe you."

They're still standing like that, silently drawing comfort from each other when Castle hears distant sirens and says, "Unless you want the team-team to see us like this, we'd better disengage."

Smiling, Beckett releases him and says, "Thanks, Castle. Would you go and meet them at the door?"

"What about you?"

"I'm safe here, remember? I'll keep an eye on the locker." When he appears reluctant to leave her, she says, "Just go, Castle. I'll be fine."

With a nod, Castle does as bid. He's not been waiting long before several emergency vehicles descend on his position and the street outside the storage facility quickly resembles a scene from a science fiction movie, as androgynous figures in orange radiation suits get the details from Castle and then file into the building. When he moves to follow them, he's ushered to one side and, as if by magic, an isolation tent is erected on-site. After several minutes with no sign of Beckett, Castle is becoming worried. But he's still not permitted to enter the building. When asked to enter the isolation tent, he resists and says, "My partner; she was inside the building."

Without a word, he's dragged to the tent and practically thrown through the door. At first panicked about what could have happened to Beckett, he senses her presence and turns to face her. Whatever she's endured has brought the fear back to her eyes and she looks like a lost child. Without a word, Castle walks over and takes her in his arms. This time there is no hesitation when she returns the embrace. After a while, Beckett says, "You okay?"

Castle laughs and releases her, saying, "I am now. I'd no idea what had happened to you."

Beckett smiles and says, "Yeah, they're not real chatty, are they?"

Castle shrugs and says, "I guess it's a good thing that they're so focused on their job. So, they didn't tell you anything, either?"

Beckett shakes her head and says, "Other than where to stand; nothing."

With no other way of learning what's going on, Castle peers out a window of the tent and gives Beckett a running commentary on what's going on outside. When it's obvious that he's only making things worse for her, he closes the window and tries to relax. Of course, that's next to impossible when his overactive imagination starts running through worst-case scenarios.

When Beckett suggests they talk about something else, Castle gambles that she's ready to discuss what's been bothering her and asks about Josh. At first reluctantly, Beckett finally opens up to him about Josh leaving again for an indefinite posting overseas. Torn between concern for his friend and elation at the fact that she might now be single, Castle becomes so rapt in the conversation that the technician entering to tell them they're safe at first seems like an imposition and Castle misses the opportunity to tell Beckett how he feels about her.

After learning from Montgomery that they're officially looking for a dirty bomb, Castle's first concern is for his family and he says to Beckett, "I have to go home, but I'll be back, okay?"

Beckett nods and says, "Of course, Castle. You know that you can't tell them, right?"

"Yeah, I know. You okay?"

Beckett manages a smile and says, "I'm fine. Actually, you want a ride? I'd say we're in for a long night and my clothes smell like fear, so I want to change and grab something to eat."

"Good idea, thanks." After clearing it with Montgomery, Beckett gives Castle a ride home. On the way, Castle says, "I'm sorry about Josh."

Beckett smiles and says, "I seriously doubt that."

Castle shrugs and says, "Don't get me wrong; him being in another country is something I've longed for. But I don't like seeing you in pain, whatever the cause."

Satisfied that he's in earnest, Beckett slowly nods and says, "Thanks." And then she says, "Josh being gone doesn't mean that I'll change my mind about you and me, Castle."

All "innocence", Castle says, "Oh, you think that I'll take this opportunity to make a play for you? The thought never even considered crossing my mind."

"I'm serious, Castle. I meant it when I said that's not the sort of relationship I want with you and if you…"

Castle holds up a hand to interrupt her and says, "Okay, I get the message. You'd better stop before I ruin your upholstery with my tears."

Realizing that she was a little blunt, Beckett says, "I'm sorry, Castle, but I don't want there to be any misunderstandings between us. I value your friendship too much to let you make things weird between us. If you push me about this, there can only be one outcome."

"I'm guessing that outcome won't require prophylactics?"

Unable to keep from smiling at his words, Beckett says, "Exactly." When Castle is quiet for a while, she says, "Thanks, for understanding."

Castle shrugs and says, "I don't, not really. But I've never pressured someone into sex in my life and I'm not about to start with you." And then he grins and says, "Though we might die in a fiery explosion before this night is out and you could do worse than to spend your last moments in my arms."

Relieved that he's taking it so well, Beckett smiles and says, "I'm sure you're right." And then she says, "So, we're okay?"

Castle gifts her with one of his genuine smiles and says, "I told you, we're excellent." They're soon outside his building and Castle says, "I don't suppose there's any chance I could persuade you to finally sample the delights of my beach house?" At her look, he says, "No, I didn't think so. Don't wait for me, okay? I'm going to see if I can get Alexis to the Hamptons."

"Okay, Castle. Good luck."

After watching her drive away, Castle braces himself for the task ahead and enters his apartment. When it's evident that Martha hasn't yet left for her spiritual retreat, he senses an opportunity and suggests that Alexis accompany her. He can see that his clever daughter suspects something, so he marshals all his resources to summon a smile that will convince her that everything is okay. Still, he's holding his breath as he watches her walk up the stairs and gasps with the effort of not letting the tears fall at the thought of maybe never seeing her again. After seeing them safely out the door, he quickly changes his clothes and then fills his pockets with snacks to eat on the way back to the precinct.

Castle returns to the 12th just in time for Agent Fallon's "pep" talk. He spots Beckett across the room and can see that she's now wearing casual clothes, including more serviceable boots than she was wearing earlier in the day. So he knows that she's not going anywhere until this is over, one way or another. He also knows that the only way he can keep her safe is to solve the case, whatever it takes.

When Fallon is finally done talking, Castle approaches Beckett. They don't say anything; there's no need, though they both manage a weak smile in greeting. Fallon appears then and tries to dismiss Castle. At first surprised that Beckett doesn't speak up, Castle can see that she's struggling to contain a smile, so he knows that she's waiting to see what he'll do. Pleased at this sign of trust, he makes his play. Thankfully, Fallon doesn't call Castle's bluff and he's permitted to stay. When Fallon whisks Beckett away for a chat, Castle wastes no time getting back to work.

Castle's not been working long with Ryan and Esposito before he begins to suspect that Amir Alhabi was framed to look like a terrorist. Even when Ryan gets footage of Amir's cousin, Jamal, transporting the bomb from the storage locker, Castle remains unconvinced that either men are guilty. When the guys won't listen to him, he knows that Beckett is his only chance and waits for a quiet moment to explain his theory.

After Ryan gives Fallon the news about Jamal, the agent calls everyone back to the bullpen for an update. Castle approaches Beckett and, without having seen what transpired when she and Fallon interviewed Nazihah Alhabi, knows that she's troubled and quietly says, "How you holding up?"

Unwilling to let herself get distracted by emotions, Beckett says, "I'm fine, Castle. Let's just focus on the case."

Content just to be with her, Castle nods and says, "Okay."

Even as Fallon informs everyone that they're now looking for Jamal, Castle can't quite believe that no one else suspects that the decent hard-working Alhabi men have been framed. Almost as Fallon finishes speaking, Castle asks Beckett for a quiet word. When even Beckett isn't prepared to believe him, Castle knows that his one and only chance to prove his theory is fast disappearing, so he risks angering her by putting himself between her and the door. Whether or not she agrees, Castle's vehemence finally sways her and he's able to enlist her help setting up a meeting with Fariq Yusef.

Convinced that he's right about the Alhabis, Castle is nevertheless surprised when Yusef consents to meet him. Before he leaves, Beckett says, "Watch yourself, Castle, this guy is dangerous."

With his normal bravado, Castle smiles and says, "I'm meeting him in a bar. What's he going to do?"

Beckett shrugs and says, "Probably nothing. But, if he decides that you're a problem, I doubt that even I would ever be able to find out what happened to your corpse."

Sobered by her words, Castle swallows and says, "Fair enough. I'll be politeness itself; satisfied?"

Beckett nods and says, "Okay, go. I'll cover for you."

After talking to Yusef, Castle is certain that he's right and immediately heads back to give Beckett an update. When Fallon is waiting for them in the bullpen, Beckett knows that they've been busted. Unconcerned what Fallon thinks of her, Beckett only feels a twinge of guilt when she sees the look of disappointment on Montgomery's face as Fallon expels her and Castle from the taskforce, ignoring their efforts to explain that the Alhabis are innocent. Frustrated that no one will listen to them, Castle knows that Beckett won't let a little thing like being escorted from the building by armed government agents stop her from working on the case. So he gathers what information he can on the way out and, once they're alone says, "My place is closest."

Beckett already has her car keys in hand and says, "Let's go."

This time of night, it's only a matter of minutes to Castle's building. With his improvised murder board and other "borrowed" information, they soon deduce that Kevin McCann is the most likely suspect and waste no time tracking his movements. Even as they arrive outside the warehouse, several members of the taskforce are descending on what they cannot know is the former location of the bomb.

Beckett and Castle cautiously enter the warehouse. But only when she spots the van in what should be a deserted building, does Beckett become truly wary. Trusting Castle to know what to do, she doesn't even glance at him as she draws her sidearm and approaches the van. With no one in sight, she opens the van and sees what is obviously a bomb. Just in case they had any doubt, her radiation detector lets them know that they're looking at the dirty bomb.

Beckett immediately gets out her phone to call it in, but abandons the move when the shots ring out. Without a word, they both retreat behind a storage container as Beckett returns fire. With, at least, two gunmen between them and the exit, Beckett knows that it's only a matter of time before they flank her position. Desperate for some way to improve their chances of survival, she spots an open door and lets Castle know to make a run for it. Without hesitation, Castle does as instructed while Beckett offers covering fire for both of them.

Once through the door, Beckett's adrenalin levels keep her from immediately noticing how cold it is. Only when she hears the clang of the door being locked from the other side, does Beckett realize that she's made a potentially fatal mistake and turns to face Castle across the tiny, frozen landscape that has become their world. After several minutes trying to find a way out of their predicament, Beckett and Castle are forced to face the realization that, unless someone stumbles upon their position, they'll most likely be dead in a couple of hours. Not even Castle can weave a happy ending for their scenario, though he says, "Jumping Jacks."

"Jumping Jacks?"

"Yeah. Aren't we supposed to exercise to prevent hypothermia?"

"I worked up a sweat just trying to bust the door open; sweat that immediately froze to my forehead. I think we're way past Jumping Jacks, and exercise won't alter our core temperature. Only protecting that will help us live longer."

Castle gives it some more thought and then says, "Oh; calories!" He fossicks through his pockets and pulls out the remainder of the snacks he brought from home and then says, "I've got beef jerky, almonds, a Granola bar and candy."

Amazed at how much food is coming out of his clothing, Beckett says, "Do you always carry enough food for two people?"

Already stammering a little because of the cold, Castle says, "Wh..what two people? This is just for me. You should have brought your own."

Beckett knows that he's joking and smiles her gratitude as she accepts one of the packets from him and then says, "At least your gluttony is finally paying off."

"Gluttony?" When Beckett only nods to their improvised picnic, he says, "Yeah, fair enough." When they're done, Castle says, "What now?"

"Uh, keep trying to think of a way out until the cold impedes our cognitive abilities?"

Castle smiles and says, "I love it when you talk like that." At her confusion, he says, "_Impedes our cognitive abilities_; that's lovely."

Smiling, despite the seriousness of their situation, Beckett says, "Not really, Castle. It usually happens somewhere between the uncontrollable shivering and unconsciousness, closely followed by death."

"Yeah, that sounds less lovely."

When Castle nods to himself, as if gathering courage and heads towards the frozen body of Jamal Alhabi, Beckett says, "I'm not eating _him_, Castle."

Despite the grizzly image, Castle laughs and says, "Neither am I. No, I was just thinking that we'll need to sit down at some point and I don't think he'll mind if we borrow his jacket. It'll be too cold to wear, but it will put a layer between us and the frozen floor." With a shrug, he says, "I know it's not much, but it might help."

"Good idea, Castle. Want me to do it?"

Obviously tempted, Castle says, "No, I got this. Just stand there and think warm thoughts."

Given the state of the body, it takes Castle quite a while to remove Jamal's jacket. He shakes any loose ice off it before putting it against one wall and then lies, "There; comfy _and_ warm."

Now unable to stop shivering, Beckett says, "Th…thanks, Castle."

Immediately concerned, Castle looks at Beckett and notices that she's very pale. He starts to remove his coat, saying, "Here; you need this more than I do."

Beckett stops his hands on the buttons and says, "No! You're only feeling warm, because it took so much effort to get the jacket. You still need the coat, or you'll die."

Covering her hands with his, Castle says, "I'd say there's a pretty good chance of that anyway, but you might stand a chance with another layer of clothing."

Beckett shakes her head and says, "No, Castle, we either live together or die together." When Castle smiles, she says, "What?"

"That's actually kind of beautiful. I wish I'd written that."

Beckett steps into his willing arms and says, "And you will." They stand together for a while and then Beckett mumbles, "I'm feeling sleepy. That's bad, isn't it?"

Castle pulls back enough to look at her face, only to see that her lips are actually turning blue and he says, "Yeah, that's bad. Come on, I'll sit on the jacket and you can sit on me."

They settle for both sitting on Jamal's jacket, Castle with one arm around Beckett and she half in his lap. After a while, Beckett says, "Hey; looks like I ended up in your arms after all."

Castle laughs and says, "Not exactly what I had in mind, but I'm not complaining. Though there's still a chance that you might get to do it properly one day."

Beckett offers a weak smile and then says, "You don't really think we're getting out of here, do you?"

"I told you, Beckett, I won't let you die…if only because you still owe me a hundred bucks."

"I'm sorry, but the cold must be getting to me; I don't recall owing you any money."

Castle smiles and says, "Welcher."

They're quiet for a long time, too cold for conversation. Castle checks his phone every now and then for a signal, to no avail.

As Beckett struggles to stay conscious and her limbs lose all feeling, she suddenly panics that Castle is dead. But he allays her fears by answering straight away when she says his name. Too scared to sleep, she starts talking and then has to forestall Castle's apology. Worried that he might die with that guilt on his conscience, Beckett tries to tell Castle how much she appreciates him. But the effort of forming words proves too much for her and she finally passes out.

Panicked, Castle tries to find Beckett's pulse, but his fingers are too numb to be of any use and then he can't remember why his hand is on her wrist, just before he too passes out. Something, maybe a noise, wakes him and he opens his eyes. But he can't find the strength to lift his head. Yet, even near death, he knows that the lights heading towards him must be good news and his heart beats a little faster as he fades away again.

* * *

Of course, when Castle wakes, his first concern is for Beckett. Intent on doing his job, the paramedic won't allay his fears and Castle is ready to grab the guy by the throat and wrest the information from him. Thankfully, Josh appears and lets Castle know that Beckett is fine. Confused as hell, his brain still foggy from the effects of hypothermia, Castle can't reconcile what his senses are telling him with what he knows to be true; that Josh is out of the country. When Castle's brain catches up with the fact that Josh has decided to stay for Beckett's sake, there's no time to work out how he feels about it, because it's soon evident that the nightmare is not over. And, when he learns that Alexis and Martha are back in the path of danger, he knows that he has to get home.

The morning sun is spreading it's tendrils over Manhattan as Castle returns to his apartment. This time he's forced to give Alexis and Martha part of the truth, in order to persuade them to leave town. Thankfully, Martha overrides Alexis' objections and takes charge of their exodus to the Hamptons. When they're gone, Castle finally permits his emotions to take hold. After only a few seconds, and even fewer tears, he takes the time to write a note for his family, seals it in the fireproof safe in the floor of his bedroom, silently cursing the fact that he has no idea whether or not it will survive, if he doesn't. Next, he has as hot a shower as he can stand and then grabs something to eat before heading back to the precinct, stopping for coffees on the way.

After gratefully accepting the coffee, Beckett notices that Castle is troubled, but accepts his lie that he's okay. It's soon apparent that Fallon hasn't stopped working and he quickly finds out that their main suspect, Kevin McCann, died two years ago. So they're now looking for a mystery man and all they have is his face. It's Castle who suggests that maybe there's a specific reason why McCann's identity was stolen. Thankfully, Fallon is now ready to listen to Castle and acts on the information straight away. When Beckett, Castle and Fallon interview McCann's sister, they finally have a name for their suspect; Radford Hayes, and his cellphone number.

With that much information, it's not long before Radford Hayes is in custody. Everyone knows that Hayes isn't working alone and that their only chance of saving the city from a nuclear explosion is to get the information from him. So, even though she disagrees with Fallon's interrogation methods, Beckett doesn't hesitate when he asks for her assistance. Despite Hayes' military training, Fallon is eventually able to draw the man into conversation about the bomb and his motives for setting it off in Manhattan.

It's all going well, despite the lack of useable information, until Hayes smiles at Fallon. Beckett is taken completely unawares when Fallon suddenly attacks their suspect. At first she's only vigilant, making sure that Fallon doesn't go too far. But, when the agent draws his gun on Hayes, Beckett levels her sidearm at Fallon, shouting for him to stand down. After a few very intense seconds, Fallon does just that even as Esposito, Montgomery and Castle burst into the room.

Leaving Montgomery to deal with the aftermath, Beckett almost flees to the break room, her nerves in tatters. Worried about her, Castle catches up just in time to take the coffee jug from her trembling hands and pour the coffee. Grateful, as always, for his unwavering support, Beckett offers him a soft smile, which soon fades when Fallon enters the room. Despite her growing animosity towards Fallon, Beckett knows full well what's at stake. So, when the agent asks for her help, she doesn't hesitate to promise her continued assistance, albeit a little formally. When they learn that Fallon's wife died during the 9/11 attacks, they finally have some insight into what makes the man tick.

With the dust settling from the encounter, it's Castle who works out that the terrorists are not yet done with the Alhabi clan. When he and Beckett arrive at Nazihah's house and find the agent on duty assassinated, Beckett searches the house, knowing that she'll find it empty. The clichéd "terrorist" note left behind confirms that Hayes' collaborators are continuing with their plan to set off the bomb and frame an Alhabi for the crime. Back at the precinct, the full resources of New York's emergency services are being readied for the possibility that they'll fail to stop a disaster.

When Esposito steps up with possible names for their suspects, Fallon pounces on the information, even though he's not confident it will help. And, when Castle notices that even Fallon finally looks afraid, he suggests enlisting the aid of the enigmatic Fariq Yusef. Despite his obvious reticence, Fallon agrees. Without implicating himself, his consulate or his countrymen, Yusef gives them a location for the real terrorists. Only minutes later, the culprits are in custody and, from them, Fallon finds out that Times Square is their intended ground zero. Even before they've left the building, law enforcement officers are blanketing Times Square and every street along the way.

With Broadway being the most direct path to Times Square, Beckett and Castle are taking that route when he persuades her to deviate slightly. Despite her initial reluctance, Beckett doesn't hesitate when Castle tells her to turn. Only seconds later, they spot the van and Beckett is able to stop Nazihah. Even as Beckett reassures the woman that her baby is okay, Castle has checked the back of the van and found the bomb. Beckett immediately calls it in, only to learn that the bomb squad won't make it in time. Truly desperate for any assistance, Beckett calls Fallon and sends him photos of the bomb. But it's not enough.

Beckett and Castle know they're about to die and that everything unsaid between them will remain that way forever. So Castle takes her hand in his and, with only seconds to go and, literally, nothing to lose from the move, he yanks all the exposed wires out of the bomb. When there's a pop of explosion, Castle is sure he's dead. So that it's a full second before he realizes that his desperate gambit has worked. Elated, he and Beckett are still celebrating a few minutes later when countless emergency vehicles arrive at their location. Even Fallon is finally able to smile.

On the drive back to the precinct Castle says, "I told you that I wouldn't let you die."

For once, happy to hear him gloat, Beckett says, "Yes, you did. Thank you, Castle."

With a slight smile, Castle says, "In fact, I think that a small reward is in order."

Beckett shrugs and says, "Well, you'll almost certainly be offered another medal and you'll probably have to accept it this time."

"That'll be for saving the city. No, I mean a reward for saving you."

A little afraid, Beckett says, "Like what?"

Castle gives it some thought and then says, "I think you owe me a _Rick_."

Relieved that it's not worse, Beckett considers his request for a second and then says, "Thank you, Rick."

Castle beams at her and then says, "See, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

Trying not to smile, Beckett says, "I guess not. But I wouldn't get used to it. I'd still prefer to use your surname while we're working together."

"That's what it'll take? I have to quit for you to call me Rick?"

Beckett shrugs and says, "Pretty much."

Nothing can dim his mood now, so Castle smiles and says, "Castle it is, then."

Back at the 12th, a small, celebratory party is soon underway in the conference room, interrupted only by Fallon taking the time to say goodbye. Castle has told Alexis and Martha that it's safe to come home. But, having spent a fair part of the day in traffic, they've decided to stay at the beach house for the night. And it occurs to Castle that he might be able to persuade Beckett to have dinner with him. Of course, those plans are put on hold when he sees Josh approaching. With a heavy heart, Castle heads home alone.

Back at his apartment, Castle retrieves the hastily scrawled note that he'd left for his girls. He's about to put it through the shredder, but something makes him unfold the paper and read it, "_If you're reading this, my darlings, then I've failed. I'm so sorry that I couldn't join you, but you must know by now that I'd rather die with Kate, than live without her. Trust me on this, if I died by her side, then I died a happy man. Mother, whatever you did, or didn't do, has made me the man I am and I thank you for that. Alexis, angel, I'm grateful every day for the privilege of being your father and just knowing you has made me a better person. I love you both, more than I can say._"

The End

* * *

Where credit's due: The writers of these episodes; thank you.


End file.
